


Cry Tears of Blood

by ilikemangopie



Category: VIXX
Genre: M/M, descriptions of blood/wounds, voodoo inspired
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 04:48:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11284038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilikemangopie/pseuds/ilikemangopie
Summary: A voodoo-inspired au.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has descriptions of blood/wounds/etc.

“Hongbin.”  
A young boy looked up at the king, face impeccably still. A regal, weathered face peered down at him, eyes small and beady. 

The king’s thin mouth split into a sharp grin as his hand arched. A resounding slap echoed through the throne room. Red blossomed along Hongbin’s cheek. He stayed silent, mouth set firmly; however, tears involuntarily crowded his eyes. The king’s smile flickered. “You haven’t learned?” 

Hongbin felt each ring on dainty royal fingers in the next slap. A punch -- air flying out of him. The tears spilled over old tracks on his face. The king growled and punctured Hongbin’s shoulder with ragged nails. Blood trickled down his biceps, coloring the clear glass fractured into his skin. The king straightened with a last drag against Hongbin’s jaw and whirled around to the keeper. 

The keeper was a tall, pointy woman with ferocious eyes. Her mouth was always pursed as if something was inconveniencing her. She liked piercing the thin skin of children, painting with the child's own blood. She stood at least a foot taller than the king but crinkled like paper in front of him. 

“Give him a piercing,” the king spat before stalking to the next child in line. Hongbin kept his gaze on the floor as the keeper pushed him into the adjacent room. A single chair stood in the center with metal and plastic bits scattered on the table beside. “Sit.” The keeper’s cool voice flooded his ears. Hongbin led his shaking legs to the chair. 

The keeper skimmed her fingers along the rows of rings and studs before landing on a black barbell. She eyed Hongbin’s left forearm hungrily, lip twitching at the corners. She rolled a pointed-edge steel rod between her fingers before positioning it on his arm. Without any hesitation she pushed it through the pinched skin. 

Hongbin felt his mouth open and close with a snap -- if he made noises, she would just pierce him more. Blood gushed out automatically, pain sprinting up his arm. The keeper pulled the bloodied rod out and switched to the barbell. She shoved the piercing through with a barely contained sneer. Hongbin’s eyesight was darkening but he blinked furiously, tears dripping down his chin. After a few minutes of watching Hongbin struggle with conscience, the keeper sighed and pulled him out of the chair. 

He immediately lost balance once he stood up but she clicked a button and two other kids materialized beside him. They dragged him through the hallway and into the medic without a word. 

He was pushed onto a sparse cot before the kids finally left. Hongbin looked at the medic through blurred tears but even tears didn’t lessen the disgusting image. The medic was a wrinkly man with a constant odor of rotten fish. Four teeth hung loosely in his mouth and his bloodshot eyes bulged at least two inches out of his face. Hongbin discretely breathed through his mouth as the old man puttered around him. The medic pulled out a filthy mug and poured equally muddy water on top of the scratches and piercing. Hongbin watched his blood filter down his arm. After half of the dried blood melted away, the mug was lifted and rags took its place. The medic wasted no time in wiping Hongbin’s arms and wrapped them with coarse fabric. He either deliberately or unintentionally ignored the gash on Hongbin's face. 

Then the medic, armed with a syringe, stabbed Hongbin’s arm with a gaping smile. “Sleep,” the man whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

Hongbin blearily opened his eyes to the ceiling. He took quiet stock of his injuries -- five scratches on both biceps, one deep gash along his jaw, a crude piercing on his forearm -- before slowly looking around the room. Jaehwan smiled brightly when they met eyes.  


“Dude! You’re alive!”  


Hongbin squinted at him. “Why are you so surprised?”  


Jaehwan’s smile drooped a bit before leaning in and whispering, “The ol’ geezer tried to eat you or something. He drugged you and was stuffing you into a pot before the keeper ran into the room.”  


“...what?”  


Jaehwan shrugged. “You’re lucky the king likes you the most. If it was anyone else, he probably would have left them to die.”  


Jaehwan rose with a yawn and poked Hongbin. “Get up or we’ll miss slop and auditions.” Hongbin crawled out of bed slowly before stiffly following Jaehwan to the kitchen. The kitchen held a few stragglers but most kids had gone to the auditions already. Jaehwan pulled two trays of mushy, brown food and led Hongbin to a corner table.  


“You didn’t miss a ton when you were out. The king slapped a bunch of kids. He almost used the poker,” Jaehwan shuddered, “but branding would ruin our appeal.”  


Hongbin chewed slowly, listening to him. “Did he seem very angry about me crying?” Hongbin could see a spark of anger in Jaehwan’s eyes but Jaehwan shook his head with an easy smile. Hongbin saw his food twitch pushed his tray away with a grimace. “Let’s go to the auditions then.”

After magic was banned, auditions were made to deal with witches’ offspring. Rich townsfolk and royals from different kingdoms would walk by each child and inspect them like livestock, turning them later into slaves. They claimed it was voodoo -- a magic that only money could earn. 

Hongbin gave Jaehwan a small smile before turning to his cell. Unlike the name, cells were clear cylinders with a single light at the top. The minute you entered one, a deluge of soap and water cascaded around you. Clothes were freshly pressed and slid under the slot of the cell. Hongbin quickly changed and was running his fingers through his hair before the warning bell clanged through the hall. Everyone’s eyes snapped up to the grand doors.


End file.
